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Remembering Cinerama (Part 18: Salt Lake City)

The following is Part Eighteen in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film, historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place.

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: January 18, 1962
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “An Entertainment Of Such Irresistible Fascination…That Only The Miracle Of CINERAMA Could Encompass It!”

CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: May 23, 1962
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Itâ€™s worth a trip to Salt Lake City…because it’s every holiday you ever dreamed of…come true! Our 3rd CINERAMA Presentation. The Only Show In The Mountain West That Cannot And Will Not Be Shown In Any Other Theatre.”

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: July 25, 1962
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD in the greatest wonder: CINERAMA”

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Villa
Premiere: August 22, 1962
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “For The First Time CINERAMA Tells A Story”

HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Villa
Premiere: April 11, 1963
Duration: 39 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “24 Great Stars. 3 Noted Directors. A Fabulous New Dramatic Adventure From M-G-M And CINERAMA”

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Comments (8)

Wow, looked at all the photos of the Villa theatre. That sure was some place, must have been great to see a movie there. At least the building is still standing and even though not a theatre anymore you can still see what it was like. We have a former beautiful theatre here in Toronto that is now a bookstore, with the magazine section on the former stage. I wish that more theatres had survived like that.

I attended the Villa many times to witness 70mm showings. My first experience at the Villa is when we drove down to SLC from E. Idaho in October of 1968 to visit relatives. Most of us kids wanted to see what this “2001: a Space Odyssey” was all about, so the parents dropped us off at the VILLA to witness this movie. Outside of the majority of us being confused on what the story was all about, all of us will never forget the “WOW!” we all said in the presentation – from the time the huge side draw curtains would open to the grandeur of the 70mm being shown on that huge 120 foot plus deep curved screen…and how it sounded as well being with 5 channel behind the screen sound (later on I found out about the 6th channel being surround sound for the wall speakers…)

After this experience, everytime we went down to SLC, I would always see what is playing at the Villa.

My last show I saw at the Villa is when MANN Theatres still ran this place. The movie was “Hunt for Red October” in the fall of 1990, and I could tell the change from carbon arc and the Century “JJ’s” to the Christie SLH xenon lamphouse and the Norelco “AA-2”. The changeover with the xenon lamphouse really ruined large screen movies since the light was simply not there as with the usage of carbon arc – the loss of color and contrast was definitely apparent..at least to my eyes.

Now, I miss the grand ol' Palace, but at least glad to see the building being still used.

Also, on a side topic: I also do miss the Cinedome 70 theatre in Ogden. That was also a great place to witness 70mm presentations.

Also, The OP can add to the list above additional 70mm releases at the VILLA (from my memory..) 1981 IJ:Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1984 IJ:Temple of Doom. (sadly, Villa didn’t get any of the Star Wars series – Plitt had those premieres at the Centre..but all in 70mm)

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: January 18, 1962
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “An Entertainment Of Such Irresistible Fascination… That Only The Miracle Of CINERAMA Could Encompass It!”

CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: May 23, 1962 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Itâ€™s worth a trip to Salt Lake City… because itâ€™s every holiday you ever dreamed of… come true!” “Our 3rd CINERAMA Presentation. The Only Show In The Mountain West That Cannot And Will Not Be Shown In Any Other Theatre…”

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: July 25, 1962
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD in the greatest wonder: CINERAMA”

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Villa
Premiere: August 22, 1962
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “For The First Time CINERAMA Tells A Story”

HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Villa
Premiere: April 11, 1963
Duration: 39 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “24 Great Stars. 3 Noted Directors. A Fabulous New Dramatic Adventure From M-G-M And CINERAMA”

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: April 14, 1965 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Only once in a lifetime. An Entertainment So Rich. An Experience So Rewarding.”

KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Theater: Villa
Premiere: August 7, 1969
Duration: 20 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The New CINERAMA Hurls You Into The Incredible Day That Shook The Earth To Its Core!”

THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-Issue)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: September 28, 1973
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”

NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE SALT LAKE CITY MARKET:
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
CUSTER OF THE WEST

TRIVIA:
The Salt Lake City market had three Cinerama-equipped theaters in total: the Villa (accounted for above), Plaza (3-strip) and Century 21 (70mm). There is no record of any Cinerama presentations at the Plaza or Century 21.